Method and process of preparing improved polyethers

ABSTRACT

A composition of matter prepared by mixing a polyhydrocarbon ether formed by the polymerization of alkylene oxides containing from two to four carbon atoms and having a molecular weight of at least 15,000 and containing two to four carbon atoms in the divalent radical between adjacent ether oxygen atoms with a polymer of a 1-olefin containing from two to eight carbon atoms and having a molecular weight of at least about 280 and containing from about 0.2 to about 5 percent by weight of sulfur and from about 0.5 to about 10 percent by weight of a ditertiary peroxide and curing the mixture.

United States atent Lal et al. 1 May 30, 1972 [54] METHOD AND PROCESS OF [56] References Cited PREPARING IMPROVED POLYETHERS UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventors: Joginder La], Cuyahoga Falls; Donald E. 3,285,804 11/1966 Robinson ..260/37 R Heppert, Akron, both of Ohio 2,933,480 4/1960 Gresham et ...260/80.78 2,906,738 9/1959 Goldberg ..260/77 5 [73] Ass1gnee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 3,012,016 2 9 1 Kirk eta] 25 795 Akron, Ohio 3,268,472 8/1966 Lal et a1 260/896 X [22] Filed: 6, 1970 3,345,347 10/1967 Elfers et a1. ..260/79.3 X [21] Appl. No.: 61,795 Primary Examiner-Lewis T. Jacobs AttameyF. W. Brunner Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 731,688, May 20, 1968, [57] ABSTRACT abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. A composition of matter prepared by mixing a polyhydrocar- 312,315, Sept. 30, 1963, abandoned, which is a o bon ether formed by the polymerization of alkylene oxides tinuation-in-part of Ser. No. 124,015, Jul 14, 1961, containing from two to four carbon atoms and having 21 Pat. No. 3,268,472. molecular weight of at least 15,000 and containing two to four carbon atoms in the divalent radical between adjacent ether 52 us. c1. ..260/897 A, 260/896 Oxygen atoms with polymer of l-olefin containing from 51 1 1m. c1. ..c0sr 29 12 eight and having a "mlecular weigh 5s 1 Field or Search. ..260/80-78 and ntainin8 fmm 5 cent by weight of sulfur and from about 0.5 to about 10 percent by weight of a ditertiary peroxide and curing the mixture.

7 Claims, No Drawings METHOD AND PROCESS OF PREPARING IMPROVED POLYETHERS This specification is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 731,688, filed May 20, 1968, now abandoned, which was a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 312,315, filed Sept. 30, 1963, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. Application'Ser. No. 124,015, filed July 14, l96l,now U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,472.

This invention relates to polyethers having a molecular weight in excess of 15,000 and to methods of improving the processing of said polyethers. More particularly, it relates to a method of curing these polymers with sulfur and organic polytertiary peroxides.

It is known that tetrahydrofuran may be either homo or copolymerized to produce polymers which may be hydroxyl terminated or which may contain other functional or nonfunctional groups. The functional polymers, i.e., the polyether glycols normally are extended and cured with organic polyisocyanates to produce resins or elastomeric products. Usually, the low molecular weight polymers of tetrahydrofuran, those having from 500 to about 4,000 molecular weight, are the ones that are extended with polyisocyanates. The higher molecular weight polyether glycols such as those having molecular weights in excess of about 10,000 are not used for extension because they not only present problems in handling but under practical conditions do not extend as well as the lower molecular weight polymers.

It has been discovered that the very high molecular weight polymers of tetrahydrofuran and related polyethers having inherent viscosities of at least 0.8 and preferably greater than 1 may be mixed with sulfur and an organic polytertiary peroxide and cured to give useful products. This is true particularly where a reinforcing agent such as the carbon blacks and silicas are added to the composition prior to curing. In fact, by using sulfur and the organic peroxide together with a reinforcing agent, cured elastomeric products have been obtained from polymers of tetrahydrofuran which have physical properties equivalent in some respects to the polyurethane elastomers obtained when the hydroxyl terminated polymers are extended with polyisocyanates. Hence this invention provides a method for making cured resinous or elastomeric products from tetrahydrofuran without the need to extend with a polyisocyanate. Hence, the polymers need not contain reactive hydrogens as measured by the Zerewitinoff method.

The organic peroxides of the type useful in this invention generally are hereinafter called polytertiary peroxides. The ditertiary peroxides can be represented by the general formula:

in which R R R R R and R are the same or different alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, aralkyl hydrocarbon radical. The alkyl or alkenyl radicals can be straight chain or branched. Usually these radicals contain less than about 18 or 20 carbon atoms and preferably contain less than about seven or eight carbon atoms.

lf one or more of the above R groups contains an additional peroxy group attached to a tertiary carbon atom then it is possible to have diand tri-peroxy compounds which are useful in this invention. These di-peroxy compounds are illustrated by the following formula:

where R R R R and R have the same meaning as that indicated for R, through R, in the above formula except R is a divalent radical and the symbols of this formula which correspond to those of the first formula likewise have the same meaning as that indicated for the first formula.

Various polytertiary peroxides of the general formula shown above may be used in the practice of this invention. it is obvious that in selecting a peroxide for use in this invention the peroxide should be stable at the temperature of mixing of the elastomeric composition so that it can be mixed without decomposing and that the peroxide should decompose at a reasonable rate under the curing conditions used so that the resulting radicals can enter into the curing reactions. Representative examples of such peroxides are ditertiarybutyl peroxide; ditertiaryamyl peroxide; di(alpha, alphadimethylbenzyl) peroxide (also known as dicumyl peroxide); di( alpha, alpha-dimethyl-p-chlorobenzyl) peroxide; di-( alpha, alpha-dimethyl-Z,4-dichlorobenzyl) peroxide; tertiarylbutyll-methylcyclohexyl peroxide; and peroxides formed by the oxidation of terpene hydrocarbons such as turpentine, alphapinene, para-methane and pinane.

In addition to the above ditertiary peroxides, R in the formula for the diperoxy compound may also contain unsaturation wherein at least one pair of carbon atoms are joined by a double or a triple bond. Representative peroxides of the second formula type are 2,2-di-(tertiarybutylperoxy) butane; 2,S-ditertiary-butyl-peroxy-2,5 dimethylhexane; 2,5-ditertiary amyl-peroxy2,5-dimethylhexane; 2,5-ditertiary-butyl peroxy- 2,5-dimethyl-3-hexene and 2,5-ditertiary-butyl peroxy-2,5- dimethyl-B-hexyne. The preferred organic peroxides useful in this invention are dicumyl peroxide, available commercially as Di Cup 40C and 2,5-ditertiary-butyl-peroxy-2,S-dimethylhexane, sometimes referred to herein as DBPH, available commercially as VAROX.

The quantity of polytertiary peroxide used in general is at least about 0.5 percent by weight, based on the polymer, the preferred amount being about 1.0 to 4.0 percent. Normally, the use of more than about 6 percent of the polytertiary peroxides results in the cured polymer having physical properties that are poorer than the optimum values obtainable at lower peroxide levels. Hence, use of amounts in excess of about 6 percent, say for instance, more than 10 percent would not generally be desirable.

However, it should be appreciated that when reinforcing fillers such as the carbon blacks or silicas are used that the percent polytertiary peroxide used preferably will be higher than when no filler is present, i.e., when curing the so-called gum stocks. The amount of additional polytertiary peroxide used and required when fillers are present is to a certain extent a function of the amount of filler used. Hence, in some cases the amount of extra peroxide used will be about 1.5 to 3 times that required to cure the gum stock per se.

1n general, at least about 0.1 percent by weight of sulfur is required to give a noticeable improvement in the physical properties of the polytertiary peroxide-cured high molecular weight polymers of tetrahydrofuran. The preferred amount of sulfur is about 0.5 to 1.5 percent as this amount of sulfur yields the better cured products. Of course, as much as 5 to 10 percent or more of sulfur may be used but normally the use of larger amounts are not desired.

The tetrahydrofuran polymers useful in this invention are those having an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.8. In general, those polymers which have inherent viscosities of at least 1.3 and preferably 2 to 3.6 and higher give cured products which have tensile strength values comparable to those obtained by organic polyisocyanate extension of the lower molecular weight polytetramethylene ether glycols. For example, a homopolymer of tetrahydrofuran having an inherent viscosity of about 2 to 3.5 when compounded with about 50 parts of carbon black (HAF), 1.6 partsiof dicumyl peroxide and 1.4 pans sulfur per hundred parts of polymer and cured 10 minutes at 305 F., gave a cured polymer which had a tensile strength of 5,500 pounds per square inch. This tensile strength compares very favorably with that of a polyisocyanate extended and crosslinked polyether-glycol. However, it should be understood that the cured homopolymers of tetrahydrofuran are crystalline.

Therefore, it is desirable in most instances to use a copolymer of tetrahydrofuran instead of the homopolymer as these copolymers have less tendency to crystallization. Consequently, by judicious choice of the comonomer and portions to be copolymerized with the tetrahydrofuran, a copolymer can be obtained which can be cured to yield an elastomeric product having good low temperature properties.

in carrying out the process of the present invention it is necessary merely to mix by standard milling procedures the sulfur and the polytertiary peroxide with the polymeric material which may contain inert fillers, etc. and to heat until a cure is obtained. The curing temperature may vary within wide limits depending upon the time the polymer is subjected to the curing temperature. Heating to temperatures of about 230 F. to about 450 F. for at least 5 minutes to several hours is ordinarily adequate. Longer cure times and/or higher temperatures can be used, but generally the best physical properties appear to be obtained with a relatively short cure time, usually about 5 to 40 minutes at about 250 to 350 F. with -30 minutes being preferred.

The following examples will better illustrate the nature of the present invention. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to these examples. Parts are by weight unless otherwise indicated. The inherent viscosities expressed as deciliters per gram, were measured at 30 C. in a chloroform solution containing 0.3 grams of polymer per 100 ml. of chloroform. lnstron tensiles were run on dumb bells at 25 C. and at a pull rate of 2 inches per minute.

The term swelling ratio as used herein is reported as the ratio of the volume of the swollen rubber after 70 hours contact at 25 C. with chloroform containing 0.1 percent of the antioxidant, phenyl beta-naphthylamine, to the volume of the dried rubber on a filler-free basis. The solubility values are expressed as percent by weight solubility of the vulcanizate on a filler-free basis after standing in chloroform at 25 C. for 70 hours.

PREPARATlON OF HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMER EXAMPLE I A. Preparation at high catalyst levels:

A high molecular weight polymer of tetrahydrofuran was prepared as follows: 200 parts of tetrahydrofuran and 25 parts of boron trifluoride were mixed at 60 C. in a bottle which was flushed with nitrogen and sealed with a screw cap. The resulting solution was placed in a cold box at 10 C. and allowed to stand for 2 months. At this time the polymerized mass was removed from the cold box and transferred to a wash mill and washed with several volumes of water to remove most of the unreacted tetrahydrofuran and catalysts. The wet polymer from the wash mill was dried in an air oven. The dry polymer had an inherent viscosity of 1.35.

This homopolymer of tetrahydrofuran was then mixed with about 2 parts of dicumyl peroxide and 1 part sulfur and cured by heating in a press at 300 F. for 20 minutes. This cured polymer was no longer soluble in benzene.

EXAMPLE 1! B. Preparation at intermediate catalyst levels:

A 10 percent solution by weight of boron trifluoride and tetrahydrofuran was prepared at a temperature below 0 C. and allowed to stand in a closed container at room temperature for 41 hours. At this time the polymerization reaction was quenched with several volumes of water and the separated polymer was placed on a wash mill and washed with water until free of acid. The washed and dried polymer had an inherent viscosity of 3.

Another portion of the 10 percent boron trifluoride solution EXAMPLE II] C. Preparation at low catalyst levels:

Another tetrahydrofuran polymer was made by the procedure of Example ll except the catalyst level was only 5 percent by weight instead of 10 percent. This polymer had an inherent viscosity of 2.8 and was used for curing studies with various peroxides and sulfur.

EXAMPLE [V D. Preparation at very low catalyst level (trace):

A commercial grade of tetrahydrofuran was purified by distillation under nitrogen and over lithium aluminum hydride. The purified tetrahydrofuran was stored under nitrogen. Portions of this purified tetrahydrofuran were polymerized with boron trifluoride as a catalyst at 32 F. and 70 F. The method used for polymerizing the tetrahydrofuran was as follows:

First, the polymerization reactor was dried in a nitrogen atmosphere; then a 1,000 parts of the purified tetrahydrofuran was added to the reactor and cooled to about 0 F. while maintained under a nitrogen atmosphere; then 1.5 parts of boron trifluoride was bubbled into the reactor followed by .5 parts of ethylene oxide; then the tetrahydrofuran was allowed to polymerize at either 32 or 70 F. until the desired equilibrium was obtained. At this point the polymerization reaction was quenched by adding several volumes of water. The addition of the water precipitated the polymer which was washed with warm water upon a wash mill until the water from the mill was substantially free of catalyst. Then the washed polymer was dried in an air oven.

When the polymerization temperature was maintained at 32 F., the dried polymer of tetrahydrofuran had an inherent viscosity of at least 2. But if the polymerization occurred at about 70 to F. the inherent viscosity was about 1.4. Thus, by using a small amount of a co-catalyst or promoter such as ethylene oxide, trimethylene oxide, dioxalane or other monomeric epoxides, in conjunction with the boron trifluoride, it is possible to produce at very low catalyst levels, polymers of tetrahydrofuran which have inherent viscosities of at least 1 and generally of 2 and higher which are useful in this invention. Furthermore, these high molecular weight polymers are produced in a relatively short time.

The homopolymers of tetrahydrofuran are very crystalline regardless of the catalyst level used in their preparation and exhibit appreciable cold draw while determining the tensile strength on the lnstron tester or other testers. To minimize the cold draw problem, all samples used for tensile strength determination on the lnstron tester were held at F. for 1 hour and then cooled to room temperature immediately prior to being placed on the lnstron tester. In this regard, the efiect of this heat treatment at l00 F. for 1 hour on the cured and uncured polymers of tetrahydrofuran is worth noting. To be specific the uncured polymer of this example, after aging 1 week at 70 F. was highly crystalline and had a cold draw tensile of 4,000 pounds per square inch and a 580 percent elongation. But when this uncured polymer was heat aged for 1 hour at 100 F., it flowed like a very viscous liquid. The sulfur and ditertiary peroxide treated and cured polymer would not heat flow while maintained for several hours at 100 F. This cured polymer also was insoluble in benzene.

EXAMPLE V Curing Gum Stock The polytetrahydrofuran (Poly THF) from Example 111 was used in these curing experiments. The polymer, sulfur and peroxide, either Di-Cup 4OC*( *40 percent active material and 60 percent inerts) or Varox, were added on the mill and the samples were cured at 310 F. The test data are shown in Tables 1 and 2 for these cured samples.

TABLE 1 Dicumyl Peroxide and Sulfur Cure of Poly THF Recipe, by parts A B C Poly, THF 100.0 100.0 100.0 Di-Cup 40c 10.0 5.0 2.5 Sulfur V 1.0 1.0 0.5 Cure time Tensile Strength psi/Elongation 10 3248/640 3360/780 4905/600 20 3464/640 3930/640 5275/640 40 3451/640 3960/700 5665/690 60 3700/650 4125/770 5424/680 Modulus, psi 10 550 390 1233 60 228 315 1 180 TABLE 2 Varox and Sulfur Cure of Poly THF Recipe, by parts D E F Poly THF 100.0 100.0 100.0 Varox 5.0 3.0 1.0 Sulfur 1.0 1.0 1.0 Cure time, minutes Tensile strength psi/Elongation l '4280/560 5020/560 3985/56() 20 5160/540 4955/580 5055/540 40 4570/580 4935/580 5580/580 6O 5560/560 4860/580 4561/560 300% Modulus, psi 10 1475 1650 1525 60 1070 1 195 1520 EXAMPLE VI Curing of Black Stock A polymer of tetrahydrofuran (poly THF) made according to the procedure of Example 11 and having an inherent viscosity of about 2.7 was used in these experiments. A masterbatch was made by milling 50 parts of carbon black (HAF) into each 100 parts of polymer. Dicumyl peroxide and sulfur, if any sulfur was used, were mixed in the masterbatch on the mill. Each sample was press cured at 300 F. for the time shown in the tabulation of data of Table 3 prior to being tested:

TABLE 3 Tabulated Data on the Cured Stock EXAMPLE VII Curing of Black Stock The polymer of tetrahydrofuran used in this example was prepared by the intermediate catalyst level technique described in Example 11 with the polymerization temperature being 25 C. and the polymerization time being 88 hours. This polymer had an inherent viscosityiof 3.0.

This polymer was compounded with 40 parts of medium process channel black (MPC) for each parts of polymer to form a black-loaded masterbatch. Then this black-loaded masterbatch was compounded on the mill with the specified amount of sulfur and the indicated peroxide and then was cured at 305 F. Test data on the cured samples are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

TABLE 4 Data on Dicumyl Peroxide and Sulfur Cured Black Stock Recipe No. (parts) A B C D E Masterbatch 140 140 140 140 Dicumyl Peroxide 1.6 3.2 5.0 5.0 7.6 Sulfur 1.40.7 0.7 1.4 0.7 Cure time, Minutes Tensile Strength, psi/Elongation, 10 5500/670 5438/705 4208/610 5350/740 4139/61!) 20 5145/640 5386/725 3929/560 4094/605 3396/540 40 4953/740 5091/720 3567/530 3519/600 2991/505 60 3945/646 4000/1540 3214/5311 3000/550 2206/440 300% Modulus, psi 10 1845 1652 114816171364 60 1816 1741 113010051290 TABLE 5 Varox*-Sulfur Cure of Black Stock Recipe, No. 10 11 12 Masterbatch, parts 140 140 140 Varox, parts 4.5 9.4 19.0 Sulfur, parts 1.0 1.0 1.0 Cure time, Minutes Tensile strength psi/Elongation% l0 5164/710 4714/720 40751770 20 45751720 4710/740 4200/770 3O 4858/690 3650/710 3510/740 40 4434/660 2590/600 1981/590 300% Modulus, psi 10 1709 1250 86B 20 1302 859 778 30 1649 1 107 918 40 1623 1314 1000 Varox is the trade name of a commercial product containing 50% of 2,5-ditertiary-butyl peroxy-2,5-dimethyl hexane (DBPH).

EXAMPLE V111 A low molecular weight poly (tetrahydrofuran) was used in this example to show that the molecular weight of the poly (tetrahydrofuran) must exceed certain limits to be curable with sulfur and peroxide.

The poly (tetrahydrofuran) used in this example was a liquid poly (tetramethylene ether) glycol of about 3,000 molecular weight. This poly-tetrahydrofuran (100 parts), sulfur (1.0 part) and Di-Cup 40C (10 parts) were placed in a beaker and mixed on a hot plate. A homogeneous mass was obtained after only a few minutes mixing. The homogeneous mass was placed under nitrogen in a small ointment can. A tight cover was placed on the can and the can was placed in a 305 F. oven. The sample was still very fluid afler 1 hour in the oven. The sample was allowed to remain in the oven at 305 F. for an additional 6.5 hours. Even after this prolonged heat treatment, the sample was still fluid and exhibited little or no evidence of curing. From this example, it appears that the molecular weight of the polymer should be in excess of at least 3,000 to get a cured elastomeric polymer.

Since the homopolymers of tetrahydrofuran are highly crystalline, it was discovered that the amount and rate of crystallization could be reduced by blending these polymers with varying amounts of the polymers of l-olefins (sometimes called alpha-olefin) and curing the blends. The polymers of lolefins which are useful in retarding the crystallizability of poly (tetrahydrofuran) may contain from two to eight carbon atoms per monomer unit, such as polyethylene (high or low density), polypropylene, polybutene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene and other copolymers of l-olefins.

The homopolymers of the alkylene oxides containing two to four carbon atoms which contain no side chain substituents are also highly crystalline and the crystallinity of these homopolyethers may be also modified by mixing them with polymers of the l-olefins. Not only are the homopolymers of the alkylene oxides containing no side chain substituents, i.e. the polymers of ethylene oxide, tetrahydrofuran and 1,3- trimethylene oxide known to be highly crystalline but the polymers of the alkylene oxides which contain an alkyl radical having from one to about carbon atoms may also be highly crystalline or they may be essentially free of crystallinity. This fact may be readily shown by dissolving the polymer, for instance, poly (propylene oxide) in hot acetone and then cooling the solution to around 20 C. The precipitate obtained at the lower temperature will be crystalline. It should be noted that this invention is useful also in modifying the relatively non-crystalline poly (alkylene oxides) containing an alkyl and related substituents as they may improve the building tack or adhesiveness of the poly l-olefins).

The polymers of the l-olefins should have a molecular weight of at least 280 and preferably it should be higher as better results are obtained where the polymers of the alpha olefin are essentially resinous or rubbery in nature. Thus, it is preferred that these polymers have molecular weights in excess of about ,000 and preferably as high as 50,000.

It has also been noted that as little as a half percent by weight of the polyethers exhibit an improvement on the bandling properties of the poly l-olefins). Thus, about i to 5 percent of the polyethers may be added to the poly l-olefins) where the purpose is essentially to improve the handling properties of the polyolefin. On the other hand, where the purpose is to improve the tensile and related physical properties of the poly (alpha-olefins), larger amounts, as much as 90 or 95 percent may be used.

To illustrate this point, the homopolymer of tetrahydrofuran from Example 1 was blended on the mill with varying amounts of an elastomeric ethylene-propylene copolymer (about 38 mol percent propylene) prepared with an aluminum alkyl-vanadium oxytrichloride catalyst. It was observed during the preparation of these blends that even a small amount of the polymer of tetrahydrofuran in the elastomeric ethylenepropylene copolymer improved the handling property of the copolymer. Furthermore, when these blends were cured with ditertiary peroxide and sulfur, the cured product had physical properties superior to that of the cured copolymer per se and slower crystallizing properties than the cured polymer of tetrahydrofuran when compared at room temperature. Hence, the polymers of tetrahydrofuran function as non-staining reinforcing agents for these polymers of the l-olefins.

This maybe seen fromthe data in Table 6 where 100 parts of the polymers or their blends were mixed with 1 part of sulfur and 10 parts of Di-Cup 40C and then cured at 280 F. for the time indicated.

TABLE 6 Cure Data on Blends Polymer of tetrahydrofuran, I00 75 50 25 0 Copolymer of ethylene] propylene, 0 25 50 75 Cured 10 minutes Tensile, psi 3360 3035 1265 740 265 Elongation, 650 740 700 740 705 300% Modulus, psi 550 354 126 1.07 Solubility, 4.7 9.0 16.0 19.0 16.0 Swelling Ratio 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.2 6.9

Cured 60 minutes Tensile, psi 4040 2910 2027 705 315 Elongation, 730 720 705 605 500 300% Modulus, psi 625 214 183 180 Solubility, 3.7 9.3 12.8 16.0 17.4 Swelling Ratio 7.5 7.3 7.3 6.8 6.3

On standing, the above vulcanizates of the blend of 25 percent copolymer of ethylene-propylene and 75 percent polymer of tetrahydrofuran appeared considerably less stiff or boardy than expected from their blend composition. The vulcanized poly (tetrahydrofuran) became quite stifl on standing under the same conditions.

Since these sulfur-polytertiary peroxides cured blends of the copolymer of ethylene-propylene and the polymers of tetrahydrofuran are less crystalline they are more suitable for coating wire and fabrics and for making various elastomeric or resinous articles such as molded goods than the homopolymer of tetrahydrofuran. Furthermore, since the tensile strength and percent elongation properties of these cured blends are superior to the cured copolymer per se, they offer advantages where light colored articles are desired.

Another way of retarding the crystallizability of the polymers of tetrahydrofuran is to copolymerize from about I to 20 percent of a comonomer with the tetrahydrofuran. Suitable comonomeis are those epoxy monomers such as the epoxy aliphatic compounds having from two to about 18 carbon atoms. Representative members of these epoxy aliphatic compounds are ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butadiene monoxide, epoxides of butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, styrene and mixtures thereof. The epoxy aliphatic ethers of less than about 250 molecular weight, for instance, allyl glycidyl ether can be used, too.

EXAMPLE IX An unsaturated copolymer prepared from. a mixture of 95 mol percent propylene oxide and 5 mol percent allyl glycidyl ether (sometimes referred to herein as PO/AGE rubber) and an unsaturated terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and a nonconjugated diene containing 33 mol percent propylene and having an iodine number of 12.7 (sometimes referred to herein as EPD rubber) were mixed with each other on a tworoll mill to form blends containing on a POIAGE weight basis 25 percent, 50 percent, and 75 percent of the unsaturated terpolymer of EPD. Then 100 parts of each of these blends, the PO/AGE rubber and the EPD rubber were mixed on the mill with 5 parts zinc oxide, 2 parts sulfur, 2.0 parts stearic acid, 1.0 part of oil treated mercaptobenzothiazole and 1.5 parts of tetramethylthiuram disulfide and then these compounded stocks were cured at 300 F. for 30 minutes. The physical properties of the cured stocks are shown in Table 7.

EXAMPLE X Saturated rubbery polymers of polypropylene oxide (sometimes referred to herein as PPO rubbers) and saturated rubbery polymers of ethylene-propylene (sometimes referred to as EPR rubbers) were mixed with each other on a two-roll rubber mill to form stocks containing PPO on a weight basis of 25 percent, 50 percent and 75 percent ethylene-propylene rubber. These stocks and the PPO rubber and EPR were milled with 10 parts dicumyl peroxide (40 percent active material) and 1 part sulfur and then cured at the temperature and time shown. The physical properties of the vulcanizates are shown in Table 8.

Each 100 parts of the rubber stock was compounded with 10 parts of dicumyl peroxide (40 percent active material) and 1 part sulfur on the mill. Then they were cured for the time and temperature shown in Table 9. The physical properties of the cured stocks are shown in the same table.

Table 9- FPO I00 75 50 25 0 Budene' O 25 50 75 100 30 minute cure at 300F.

300% Modulus, psi 173 255 245" Tensile strength, psi 1333 516 305 265 190 Elongation-at-Break, 730 500 260 180 80 Swell Volume 7.7 6.38 5.3 4.5 4.1 Solubility 5.35 5.0 3.9 3.2 5.0

Benzene Solvent 60 minute cure at 300F.

300% Modulus, I93 204' 208* Tensile strength, psi 809 224 284 261 175 Elongation-at-Break, 650 230 180 105 75 'Budene is a highcisl ,4-polybutacliene rubber. Modulus determined at 200% Elongation. "Modulus determined at 100% Elongation.

It should be noted that the bivalent radicals between the successive ether oxygen atoms of poly (propylene oxide) contain three carbon atoms while poly (ethylene oxide) contains two carbon atoms. Hence, the number of carbon atoms in the bivalent radical between the successive ether oxygen atoms can vary widely from two to about 10. Also, it should be noted that where the polyether is a copolymer there may be only two carbon atoms in the bivalent radical between some adjacent pairs of ether oxygen atoms and as many as about 10 between other adjacent pairs.

Other compounding ingredients such as clays, processing oils, waxes, tackifying agents and reinforcing agents can also be used in conjunction with this invention and can also be varied in amounts to adjust the properties of the stock to meet the specification for the particular goods being made. Normally, about 5 to parts of carbon black may be used with the preferred amount being about 20 to 50 parts.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A composition of matter which comprises a mixture of a polyhydrocarbon ether formed by the polymerization of alkylene oxides containing from two to 10 carbon atoms and having a, molecular weight of at least 15,000 and containing essentially two to 10 carbon atoms in the divalent radical between adjacent ether oxygen atoms and a polymer of a .lolefin containing from two to eight carbon atoms and having a molecular weight of at least about 280, wherein the composition contains from about 1 to about percent by weight of the polyhydrocarbon ether, where said composition contains from about 0.2 to about 5 weight percent sulfur based on said polyhydrocarbon ether/ l-olefin polymer mixture.

2. The composition according to claim 1 where the l-olefin polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 15,000 and where the polyhydrocarbon ether is relatively crystalline, as evidenced by a precipitate obtained by cooling a solution of the polyhydrocarbon ether in hot acetone to 20 C.

3. The composition according to claim 1 where the said alkylene oxides contain from two to four carbon atoms and the l-olefin polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 1 5 ,000

4. The composition according to claim 1 where the polyhydrocarbon ether is formed by the polymerization or copolymerization of alkylene oxides selected from ethylene oxide, allyl glycidal ether, butadiene monoxide, propylene oxide, l,3-trimethylene oxide and tetrahydrofuran, where the polymer of the l-olefin has a molecular weight of at least about 15,000 and is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene and terpolymers of ethylene, propylene and a nonconjugated diene.

5. The composition according to claim 1 containing, based on the polyhydrocarbon ether and polymer of l-olefin, from 0.2 to 5 percent by weight of sulfur and from 0.5 to 10 percent by weight of a ditertiary peroxide of the formula (a) or (b), where (a) is and (b) is whale n R2, R3, R4 R, R7 8, 9 R10! and u are selected from radicals having less than 20 carbon atoms and consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl and substituted aryl, except R is a divalent radical.

6. The composition according to claim 5 where the ditertiary peroxide is selected from at least one of the group consisting of ditertiary butyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, di-(alpha alpha pinene, para-menthane and pinane. alpha dimethyll2,4-dichlorobenzy1) peroxide, tertiary butyl-l- 7. The composition according to claim 6 where the diteniamethyl cyciohexyl peroxide and peroxides formed by the oxry peroxide is dicumyl peroxide. idation of terpene hydrocarbons selected from turpentine, i, 

2. The composition according to claim 1 where the 1-olefin polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 15,000 and where the polyhydrocarbon ether is relatively crystalline, as evidenced by a precipitate obtained by cooling a solution of the polyhydrocarbon ether in hot acetone to -20* C.
 3. The composition according to claim 1 where the said alkylene oxides contain from two to four carbon atoms and the 1-olefin polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 15,000.
 4. The composition according to claim 1 where the polyhydrocarbon ether is formed by the polymerization or copolymerization of alkylene oxides selected from ethylene oxide, allyl glycidal ether, butadiene monoxide, propylene oxide, 1,3-trimethylene oxide and tetrahydrofuran, where the polymer of the 1-olefin has a molecular weight of at least about 15,000 and is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene and terpolymers of ethylene, propylene and a non-conjugated diene.
 5. The composition according to claim 1 containing, based on the polyhydrocarbon ether and polymer of 1-olefin, from 0.2 to 5 percent by weight of sulfur and from 0.5 to 10 percent by weight of a ditertiary peroxide of the formula (a) or (b), where (a) is
 6. The composition according to claim 5 where the ditertiary peroxide is selected from at least one of the group consisting of ditertiary butyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, di-(alpha alpha dimethyl-2,4-dichlorobenzyl) peroxide, tertiary butyl-1-methyl cyclohexyl peroxide and peroxides formed by the oxidation of terpene hydrocarbons selected from turpentine, alpha pinene, para-mentHane and pinane.
 7. The composition according to claim 6 where the ditertiary peroxide is dicumyl peroxide. 